Dynamic image distribution device and method thereof

ABSTRACT

In a network system ( 1 ), in response to a user&#39;s operation on a video telephone ( 32 ) having no browser function, WEB data described in HTML is supplied from a WEB server ( 26 ) to a WEB browse server ( 4 ) by HTTP. The supplied WEB data is converted by the WEB browse server ( 4 ), for example, into dynamic image data in the MPEG format which can be displayed on the video telephone ( 32 ). Furthermore, the dynamic image data is distributed via a transmission path set between the WEB browse server ( 4 ) and the video telephone ( 32 ) by line switching to the video telephone ( 32 ) so as to be displayed. That is, in the network system ( 1 ), a user of the video telephone ( 32 ) having a dynamic image display function and an audio transmission function but no browser function can view a WEB image on the Internet.

PRIORITY CLAIM

The present invention claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 to JapanesePCT Application Serial No. PCT/JP2005/017469, filed on Sep. 22, 2005,the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a dynamic image distribution device fordistributing a desired image and a method thereof.

BACKGROUND ART

For example, JP 2001-117550 A discloses a method of dividing an image ofHTML data and displaying the resultant. Further, JP 2002-055912 Adiscloses a method of displaying an image of HTML data on a mobileterminal device. However, the methods are required to provide a terminaldevice with software such as a browser for processing the HTML data togenerate the image.

In other words, for example, even with a so-called video telephoneconfigured to allow transmission of a dynamic image and audio betweenterminals, if the video telephone cannot execute software running as abrowser, a user cannot view a WEB page available on the Internet orperform WEB browsing.

SUMMARY Problem to be Solved by the Invention

The present invention has been made against the above-mentionedbackdrop, and an object thereof is to provide a dynamic imagedistribution device which can display an image available on the Interneton a terminal device capable of displaying a dynamic image, and a methodthereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a dynamic imagedistribution device which realizes WEB browsing through the Internet byuse of a telephone capable of displaying an image but having no browserfunction, and a method thereof.

Means for Solving the Problem

In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, according to thepresent invention, a dynamic image distribution device for distributinga dynamic image to an image display device for receiving the dynamicimage distributed via a transmission path and displaying the dynamicimage includes: conversion means for converting image data representingan image into a dynamic image in a format that can be displayed by theimage display device; and dynamic image distribution means fordistributing the dynamic image obtained as a result of the conversion tothe image display device via the transmission path.

Further, according to the present invention, a dynamic imagedistribution system includes: an image display device for receiving adynamic image distributed via a transmission path and displaying thedynamic image; and a dynamic image distribution device including:conversion means for converting image data representing an image into adynamic image in a format that can be displayed by the image displaydevice; and dynamic image distribution means for distributing thedynamic image obtained as a result of the conversion to the imagedisplay device.

Further, according to the present invention, a dynamic imagedistribution method of distributing a dynamic image to an image displaydevice for receiving the dynamic image distributed via a transmissionpath and displaying the dynamic image includes: a conversion step ofconverting image data representing an image into a dynamic image in aformat that can be displayed by the image display device; and a dynamicimage distribution step of distributing the dynamic image obtained as aresult of the conversion to the image display device via thetransmission path.

Further, according to the present invention, a dynamic imagedistribution program for distributing a dynamic image to an imagedisplay device for receiving the dynamic image distributed via atransmission path and displaying the dynamic image causes a computer toexecute: a conversion step of converting image data representing animage into a dynamic image in a format that can be displayed by theimage display device; and a dynamic image distribution step ofdistributing the dynamic image obtained as a result of the conversion tothe image display device via the transmission path.

Further, according to the present invention, a selection methodincludes: a display step of displaying a plurality of choices dividedinto a plurality of groups; a first selection step of selecting any oneof the plurality of groups in response to any one of a plurality ofselection operations; and a second selection step of selecting any oneof the plurality of choices contained in the plurality of groups inresponse to any other one of the plurality of selection operations.

EFFECT OF THE INVENTION

With the dynamic image distribution device and the method thereofaccording to the present invention, it is possible to display an imageavailable on the Internet on the terminal device capable of displaying adynamic image.

In addition, with the dynamic image distribution device and the methodthereof according to the present invention, it is possible to realizethe WEB browsing through the Internet by use of the telephone capable ofdisplaying an image but having no browser function.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram exemplifying a configuration of a network system towhich a dynamic image distribution method according to the presentinvention is applied.

FIGS. 2(A) and (B) are diagrams showing modes of distributing a dynamicimage in the network system, where part (A) shows the mode in which adynamic image is distributed from a video telephone system to a videotelephone via a WEB browse server, and part (B) shows the mode in whicha dynamic image is distributed from a WEB server to a PDA device and aPC via the WEB browse server.

FIG. 3 is a diagram exemplifying a hardware configuration of each of theWEB server, the WEB browse server, the PDA device, and the PC that areshown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a diagram exemplifying a configuration of the video telephoneshown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a client program executed on the PDA deviceand the PC that are shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a WEB browse program executed on the WEBbrowse server shown in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 7(A)-(D) are diagrams exemplifying a dynamic image that isgenerated by the WEB browse program shown in FIG. 6 and displayed on thedisplay device (FIG. 3) of the video telephone, where part (A) shows amenu image, part (B) shows a static image of a WEB page generated inresponse to a selection operation performed on the menu image, and parts(C) and (D) show dynamic images within the static image shown in part(B) which are actually displayed in response to selection operations.

FIG. 8 is a diagram exemplifying WEB data supplied from the WEB servershown in FIG. 1 to the WEB browse server.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a processing in which the WEB browse program(FIG. 6) selects a display range of displaying the dynamic image on thedisplay device (FIG. 3) in response to a user's operation performed onthe video telephone.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a processing for the WEB browse program(FIG. 6) to select a link displayed within the dynamic image displayedon the display device (FIG. 3) in response to a user's operationperformed on the video telephone.

FIG. 11 is a communication sequence diagram showing an overall operation(S10) of the network system shown in FIG. 1.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, description will be made of an embodiment of the presentinvention.

Network System 1

FIG. 1 is a diagram exemplifying a configuration of a network system 1to which a dynamic image distribution method according to the presentinvention is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, the network system 1 isconfigured by including an IP communication system 2 and a videotelephone system 3 used by, for example, a 3G mobile telephone which areconnected to each other via a WEB browse server 4. The IP communicationsystem 2 is configured by including personal digital assistance (PDA)devices 22-1 to 22-n, computers (PCs) 24-1 to 24-n, and WEB servers 26-1to 26-n for supplying WEB page data (WEB data; described later byreferring to FIG. 8), which are connected to one another via an IPnetwork 20, such as a LAN, a WAN, and the Internet, for transmittingdata by transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP). Thevideo telephone system 3 is configured by including video telephones32-1 to 32-n and a mobile telephone network 30 for connecting by lineswitching between the video telephones 32-i and 32-j and between thevideo telephones 32-i and the WEB browse server 4.

Note that in the following description, the variables “m” and “n” eachrepresent an integer equal to or larger than 1, and the variable “m”does not always represent the same number in all cases, or the variable“n” does not always represent the same number in all cases. Thevariables “i” and “j” each represent an integer from 1 to n, and aremutually different numbers in general. When any component that can beused as one of a plurality of components such as the PDA devices 22-1 to22-n is indicated without distinction, the component may be referred tosimply as “PDA device 22” or the like. The component such as the PDAdevice 22 that can be a main component in information processing orcommunications within the network system 1 may be referred togenerically as “node”. Also, in the following description, substantiallythe same components across the figures are denoted by the like referencenumerals.

FIGS. 2(A) and (B) are diagrams showing modes of distributing a dynamicimage in the network system 1, where part (A) shows the mode in which adynamic image is distributed from the WEB server 26 to the videotelephone 32 via the WEB browse server 4, and part (B) shows the mode inwhich a dynamic image is distributed from the WEB server 26 to the PDAdevice 22 and the PC 24 via the WEB browse server 4. However, two IPnetworks 20-1 and 20-2 shown in FIG. 2(B) may be the same IP network 20.

With those components, as shown in FIG. 2(A), in the network system 1,for example, in response to a user's operation on a video telephone 32having no browser function, WEB data described in hypertext markuplanguage (HTML) is supplied from the WEB server 26 to the WEB browseserver 4 by hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP). The supplied WEB data isconverted by the WEB browse server 4, for example, into dynamic imagedata in the moving picture experts group (MPEG) format which can bedisplayed on the video telephone 32. Further, the dynamic image data isdistributed via a transmission path set between the WEB browse server 4and the video telephone 32 by line switching to the video telephone 32,and displayed thereon. In other words, the network system 1 allows auser of the video telephone 32 having a dynamic image display functionand an audio transmission function but no browser function to view animage of a WEB page on the Internet.

Note that as shown in FIG. 2(B), in the network system 1, in response tothe user's operation on the PDA device 22 and PC 24 that are capable ofdisplaying a dynamic image, a document containing a text, image, and thelike on a WEB page is converted into a dynamic image, and sessions setup between the WEB browse server 4 and the PDA device 22 and PC 24 areused to distribute the dynamic image to the video telephone 32 bystore-and-forward switching, whereby the dynamic image is displayedthereon.

Hereinafter, for concreteness and clarity, description will be made ofthe following specific examples (1) to (4) unless otherwise indicated.

(1) A dial tone multi frequency (DTMF) signal used for an operation istransmitted from the video telephone 32 to the WEB browse server 4.

(2) In response to the operation using the DTMF signal from the videotelephone 32, as shown in FIG. 2(A), a dynamic image is distributed tothe video telephone 32 from the WEB server 26 via the WEB browse server4.

(3) Between the video telephones 32 and between the video telephone 32and the WEB browse server 4, dynamic image data other than that in theMPEG format can be transmitted, but the dynamic image data of MPEGformat is hereinafter transmitted therebetween.

(4) In the WEB browse server 4, controls described in various formatscan be executed, but the control described in VXML is hereinafterexecuted.

Hardware

Hereinafter, description will be made of a hardware configuration ofeach of the components of the network system 1.

FIG. 3 is a diagram exemplifying the hardware configuration of each ofthe WEB server 26, the WEB browse server 4, the PDA device 22, and thePC 24 that are shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the WEB server 26,the WEB browse server 4, the PDA device 22, and the PC 24 are eachconfigured by including: a main body 120 that includes a CPU 122 and amemory 124; an input/output device 126 that includes a keyboard and adisplay device; a network interface (IF) 128 for performingcommunications with another node via the IP network 20 or the mobiletelephone network 30; and a recording device 130, such as a CD drive anda HD drive, for performing recording and reproduction of data on arecording medium 132. In short, each of the WEB server 26, the WEBbrowse server 4, the PDA device 22, and the PC 24 has the hardwarecomponents as a computer capable of information processing andcommunications with another node.

Video Telephone 32

Hereinafter, description will be made of the video telephone 32.

FIG. 4 is a diagram exemplifying a configuration of the video telephone32 shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 4, the video telephone 32 includesan antenna 320, a radio IF 322, an audio/video CODEC 330, a displaydevice 332 such as an LCD, a camera 334, a microphone 336, a speaker338, a control section 340, a numeric keypad 342, and a DTMF generationsection 344. Note that each of the components of the video telephone 32may be realized by dedicated hardware, or may be realized by softwareexecuted on a digital signal processor (DSP) or the like.

The antenna 320 and the radio IF 322 perform transmission of a signalnecessary for setting a line with respect to the mobile telephonenetwork 30. The antenna 320 and the radio IF 322 further performtransmission of an audio, dynamic image, and DTMF signal with respect toanother video telephone 32 or the WEB browse server 4 via a transmissionpath set for the mobile telephone network 30. The display device 332,which is, for example, a liquid crystal display device, displays thedynamic image generated by the audio/video CODEC 330 to show the dynamicimage to the user. The camera 334, which is, for example, a CCD camera,takes images of the user, the background, and the like to generate adynamic image, and outputs the dynamic image to the audio/video CODEC330. The microphone 336 receives an audio such as the user's voice, andoutputs the audio to the audio/video CODEC 330. The speaker 338 outputsthe audio inputted from the audio/video CODEC 330, for example, thevoice of a person on the other end or the audio accompanying a WEB page.

The control section 340 includes a CPU and a memory (not shown), andexecutes a program (not shown) to perform a processing forcommunications with respect to the mobile telephone network 30, aprocessing for controlling each component of the video telephone 32, andthe like. The numeric keypad 342 includes buttons of numerals “0” to “9”and symbols such as “*” and “#” that are suitable for a signal inputoperation by DTMF, receives the user's operation, and outputs theoperation to the DTMF generation section 344. In response to the user'soperation performed on the buttons of the numeric keypad 342, the DTMFgeneration section 344 generates a DTMF signal corresponding to each ofthe numerals “0” to “9” and the symbols “*” and “#”, and outputs theDTMF signal to the audio/video CODEC 330.

The audio/video CODEC 330 receives via the radio IF 322 dynamic imagedata in, for example, the MPEG format transmitted from another videotelephone 32 and the WEB browse server 4, decodes the dynamic imagedata, and displays the dynamic image data on the display device 332. Theaudio/video CODEC 330 further decodes the audio data transmitted fromanother video telephone 32 and the WEB browse server 4, and outputs theaudio data from the speaker 338. In addition, the audio/video CODEC 330encodes the dynamic image inputted from the camera 334 into dynamicimage data in the MPEG format, and outputs the dynamic image data to theradio IF 322. The audio/video CODEC 330 further encodes the audioinputted from the microphone 336 and the DTMF signal inputted from theDTMF generation section 344 into audio data, and outputs the audio datato the radio IF 322. In short, the video telephone 32 has componentsserving as a so-called video telephone capable of transmitting a dynamicimage, audio, and DTMF signal with respect to another video telephone 32and the WEB browse server 4.

Software

Hereinafter, description will be made of software executed on each ofthe components of the network system 1.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a client program 220 executed on the PDAdevice 22 and the PC 24 that are shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 5,the client program 220 includes an operating system (OS) 222 installedin the PDA device 22 and the PC 24, a user interface (UI) section 224, adynamic image processing section 226, an operation signal creationsection 228, various application sections 230-1 to 230-n such as a wordprocessor, and a communication processing section 232. The clientprogram 220 is supplied to the PDA device 22 and the PC 24 via, forexample, the recording medium 132 (FIG. 3), loaded into the memory 124,and executed by the CPU 122 while concretely using the hardware of thePDA device 22 and the PC 24 via the OS 222 (the same applies to programsdescribed hereinafter).

With those components, the client program 220 receives via the IPnetwork 20 an input made by the user's operation performed on thekeyboard of the input/output device 126 (FIG. 3) or the like, andtransmits an operation signal corresponding to the DTMF signal on thevideo telephone 32 to the WEB browse server 4. Further, the clientprogram 220 displays the dynamic image in the MPEG format transmittedfrom the WEB browse server 4 on the display device of the input/outputdevice 126.

In the client program 220, the UI section 224 receives the user'soperation performed on the input/output device 126, outputs theoperation to the application section 230, and also controls theprocessing of the other components of the client program 220. The UIsection 224 further displays the dynamic image data decoded by thedynamic image processing section 226 on the input/output device 126. Theoperation signal creation section 228 creates an operation signalcorresponding to the DTMF signal on the video telephone 32 based on theuser's operation received by the UI section 224, and outputs the signalto the communication processing section 232. The communicationprocessing section 232 performs a processing necessary forcommunications with another node, receives dynamic image data in theMPEG format from the WEB browse server 4 via the IP network 20, andoutputs the dynamic image data to the dynamic image processing section226.

The communication processing section 232 also transmits the operationsignal inputted from the operation signal creation section 228 to theWEB browse server 4 via the IP network 20. The dynamic image processingsection 226 decodes the dynamic image data in the MPEG format inputtedfrom the communication processing section 232, and outputs the dynamicimage data to the UI section 224.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a WEB browse program 40 executed on the WEBbrowse server 4 shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 6, the WEB browse program 40 includes a mobiletelephone IF 400, a media processing section 42, and a renderingprocessing section 48. The media processing section 42 includes an audiorecognition section 420, a response control section 422, a dynamic imagedistribution section 424, an operation control section 430, and acontent processing section 460. The operation control section 430includes a voice extensible markup language (VXML) control section 432,a menu display section 434, an image call section 436, and an imagedatabase (DB) 438. The content processing section 460 includes a contentcreation section 462, an image displacement section 464, a link displaysection 466, and a media conversion section 468. The renderingprocessing section 48 includes a WEB access section 480, an imagecreation section 482, a link processing section 484, and a sessionprocessing section 486.

With those components, the WEB browse program 40 creates static imagedata in the joint photographic experts group (JPEG) format or the likefrom WEB data that indicates the contents of a WEB page and containstext data, image data, and the like described in HTML, converts thestatic image data into the MPEG format suitable for display on the videotelephone 32, and distributes the converted data to the PDA device 22,the PC 24, and the video telephone 32. In addition, the WEB browseprogram 40 receives an audio (user's voice or DTMF signal) for anoperation from the video telephone 32 or the like, and based on theinformation indicated by the audio, performs a processing for realizingthe viewing of the WEB page by use of the video telephone 32 or thelike.

In the WEB browse program 40, the mobile telephone IF 400 is connectedwith the dynamic image distribution section 424, audio recognitionsection 420, and response control section 422 of the media processingsection 42 via, for example, session initiation protocol (SIP). Themobile telephone IF 400 transmits dynamic image data and audio data tothe video telephone 32 via a transmission path set by line switching inthe mobile telephone network 30. In other words, the mobile telephone IF400 performs the following processes (1) to (4):

(1) protocol conversion between the mobile telephone network 30 (FIG. 1)and the media processing section 42;

(2) transmission of dynamic image data in the MPEG format and audio datato the video telephone 32;

(3) an output of the audio data of the audio and DTMF signal, which istransmitted from the video telephone 32, to the response control section422; and

(4) reception of the dynamic image data in the MPEG format, which istransmitted from the video telephone 32 (in correspondence with which,the WEB browse program 40 may be added with a component for recordingthe dynamic image and audio).

The response control section 422 functions as a DTMF decoder, and whenthe audio data of the DTMF signal is transmitted for the purpose of anoperation from the video telephone 32, outputs an input valuecorresponding to any one of the numerals “0” to “9” and the symbols “*”and “#” based on the user's operation performed on the numeric keypad342 to the VXML control section 432. When the audio data of the user'svoice is transmitted for the purpose of an operation from the videotelephone 32, the audio recognition section 420 recognizes the user'svoice inputted via the response control section 422, and outputs aninput value corresponding to one of the numerals “0” to “9” and thesymbols “*” and “#” to the VXML control section 432 via the responsecontrol section 422. The dynamic image distribution section 424distributes the dynamic image data in the MPEG format to the videotelephone 32 via the mobile telephone IF 400 and the mobile telephonenetwork 30.

Set for the VXML control section 432 is a rule described in VXML forassociating an input value inputted from the response control section422 with a processing to be executed based on the input value. Accordingto this rule, the VXML control section 432 selects the processing to beexecuted based on the input value, and controls the menu display section434, the content processing section 460, and rendering processingsection 48, to thereby realize the selected processing.

FIGS. 7(A)-(D) are diagrams exemplifying a dynamic image that isgenerated by the WEB browse program 40 shown in FIG. 6 and displayed onthe display device 332 (FIG. 3) of the video telephone 32, where part(A) shows a menu image, part (B) shows a static image of a WEB pagegenerated in response to a selection operation performed on the menuimage, and parts (C) and (D) show dynamic images within the static imageshown in part (B) which are actually displayed on the display device 332in response to selection operations. The image DB 438 stores a dynamicimage used for creation of the menu image exemplified in FIG. 7(A).

Note that FIG. 7(A) exemplifies a case where a menu screen indicates thetitle of a dynamic image distributed to the video telephone 32 as wellas its choices (A District to I District) each of which is associatedwith an operation (depression of one of the “numerals 1 to 9” of thenumeric keypad 342 of the video telephone 32 that is associated with theURL of a WEB page on a weather forecast for one of A District to IDistrict) for making a selection from the choices.

The image call section 436 calls the dynamic image stored in the imageDB 438 in response to a request made by the menu display section 434,and outputs the dynamic image to the menu display section 434. The menudisplay section 434 requests the image call section 436 to call thedynamic image to be used for creation of the menu image. The menudisplay section 434 creates a dynamic image of the menu by using thedynamic image obtained from the image call section 436 in response tothe request, and displays the created dynamic image on the displaydevice 332 of the video telephone 32.

The session processing section 486 of the rendering processing section48 performs a processing for setting a communication session between theWEB server 26, which supplies WEB data desired by the user of the videotelephone 32, and the WEB browse server 4. In addition, the sessionprocessing section 486 stores information on the user of the videotelephone 32 to be required for access to the WEB browse server 4 andinformation (including an ID for identification of a terminal, a URL ofa processing target, an image of the WEB page, link information,coordinates X, Y, H, and W of an image area being currently displayed, amagnification/reduction ratio, and a display mode) to be required fordistribution of the dynamic image to the video telephone 32. The sessionprocessing section 486 outputs those stored information to the contentprocessing section 460.

FIG. 8 is a diagram exemplifying WEB data supplied from the WEB server26 shown in FIG. 1 to the WEB browse server 4. The WEB access section480 accesses the WEB server 26 via the communication session set by thesession processing section 486, obtains WEB data as shown in FIG. 8, andoutputs the WEB data to the other components of the rendering processingsection 48.

Note that as shown in FIG. 8, the WEB data contains text data, imagedata in the JPEG format, the GIF format, or the like which can bedisplayed on the video telephone 32 as an image, and a location (forexample, uniform resource locator (URL)) of an internet resource that islinked from the WEB data. When dynamic image data in the MPEG format issupplied from a linked WEB server, the WEB access section 480 outputsthe supplied dynamic image data to the content creation section 462 ofthe content processing section 460 in a state where a processing isperformed by none of the other components of the rendering processingsection 48.

From the WEB data (FIG. 8) inputted from the WEB access section 480, theimage creation section 482 creates static image data that represents astatic image having an area (a×b pixels) wider than a display area (c×dpixels) of the display device 332 of the video telephone 32. To bespecific, for example, when the user of the video telephone 32 sees themenu shown in FIG. 7(A) and depresses the number “1” button of thenumeric keypad 342 (FIG. 3) to perform an operation for selecting theweather forecast for A District, as shown in FIG. 7(B), the imagecreation section 482 uses a URL specified by the operation to obtain theWEB data indicating the weather forecast for A District from the WEBserver 26 and generate static image data from the obtained WEB data. Theimage creation section 482 outputs the generated static image data tothe content processing section 460. From the WEB data, the linkprocessing section 484 extracts a link contained in each WEB data item,obtains the URL of each link and the coordinates of the display range ofthe link contained in each WEB data item, and outputs the resultantinformation to the content processing section 460.

The media conversion section 468 of the content processing section 460converts data to be displayed on the video telephone 32 other than theWEB data, such as data in the PDF format, into static image datacorresponding to the WEB page (FIGS. 7(B) and 8). The media conversionsection 468 further converts the static image data corresponding to theWEB page into dynamic image data in the MPEG format, and outputs thedynamic image data to the dynamic image distribution section 424. Thelink display section 466 creates link information for displaying astatic image in which the display range of each of the links inputtedfrom the link processing section 484 of the rendering processing section48 is associated with an operation for selection of the correspondingone of the links. The link display section 466 creates link displayinformation for indicating the display range of each link with, forexample, a red frame within the WEB page and indicating the operationfor selecting each link by the number or symbol corresponding to thebutton of the numeric keypad 342 to be depressed.

The image displacement section 464 performs a processing of moving anarea within the WEB page to be displayed on the display device 332 ofthe video telephone 32, magnifying the area as indicated by the doffedline directed from FIG. 7(B) toward FIG. 7(D), or reducing the area asindicated by the dotted line directed from FIG. 7(D) toward FIG. 7(B).As shown in FIG. 7(B), the content creation section 462 uses the linkinformation and the link display information to draw frame lines or thelike for the link on the static image data created by the image creationsection 482 or the media conversion section 468. Further, based on theinformation inputted from the session processing section 486 of therendering processing section 48, as shown in FIG. 7(C), the contentcreation section 462 cuts out an area to be actually displayed on thedisplay device 332 of the video telephone 32.

As necessary, as shown in FIG. 7(D), the content creation section 462performs a processing of magnifying or reducing a part or entirety ofthe cut-out image to create static image data in the JPEG format whichrepresents the contents to be displayed on the video telephone 32, andoutputs the static image data to the media conversion section 468.Whether the cut-out image is magnified or reduced depends on whether thearea of the cut-out image is smaller or larger than the size (QCIF) ofthe screen of the display device 332 of the video telephone 32. In otherwords, the area of the cut-out image is reduced when larger than thesize of the screen of the display device 332, and magnified when smallerthan the size of the screen of the display device 332.

Note that when the WEB page has a link to a dynamic image in the MPEGformat instead of a WEB page in HTML and when the dynamic image data isinputted from the WEB access section 480, the content creation section462 outputs the dynamic image data to the dynamic image distributionsection 424. Thus, the dynamic image data transmitted from the contentcreation section 462 to the video telephone 32 via the dynamic imagedistribution section 424 can be displayed on the display device 332 ofthe video telephone 32 as it is.

Display Range and Link Selection

Hereinafter, description will be made of a processing for the WEB browseprogram 40 (FIG. 6) to select a display range of displaying a dynamicimage on the display device 332 (FIG. 3) and select a link displayedwithin the dynamic image in response to a user's operation performed onthe video telephone 32.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a processing in which the WEB browse program40 (FIG. 6) selects the display range of displaying the dynamic image onthe display device 332 (FIG. 3) in response to the user's operationperformed on the video telephone 32.

When the operation control section 430 displays a menu screen on thedisplay device 332 of the video telephone 32 upon a call reception fromthe video telephone 32, the user of the video telephone 32 selects oneof the numbers associated with the choices within the menu screen. Thenumber selected by the user is identified as a DTMF signal by theresponse control section 422, and becomes an input value with respect tothe VXML control section 432. The operation control section 430 controlsthe rendering processing section 48 to browse out the WEB data from theWEB server 26 (FIG. 1) by use of the URL corresponding to the numberspecified by the user. The rendering processing section 48 creates thestatic image data as shown in FIG. 9 from the read-out WEB data. Thecontent processing section 460 first cuts out the display rangeindicated by the dotted line within the created static image data as animage, converts the resultant data into dynamic image data, anddistributes the dynamic image data to the video telephone 32 as adynamic image.

In the state shown in FIG. 9, for example, the operation control section430 controls the content processing section 460 so as to move thedisplay range upward on the screen when the number “2” is depressed onthe video telephone 32, move the display range downward on the screenwhen the number “8” is depressed, move the display range rightward onthe screen when the number “6” is depressed, and move the display rangeleftward on the screen when the number “4” is depressed. Further, forexample, the operation control section 430 controls the contentprocessing section 460 so as to reduce the dynamic image within thedisplay range when the number “1” is depressed on the video telephone 32and magnify the dynamic image within the display range when the number“3” is depressed. According to the control, the content processingsection 460 creates a content by moving or magnifying/reducing thedisplay range, and distributes the content to the video telephone 32 viathe dynamic image distribution section 424. Note that in the state shownin FIG. 9, the user cannot select a link.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a processing for the WEB browse program 40(FIG. 6) to select a link displayed within the dynamic image displayedon the display device 332 (FIG. 3) in response to the user's operationperformed on the video telephone 32. When the user depresses, forexample, the number “0” of the numeric keypad 342 of the video telephone32 in the state for moving or magnifying/reducing the display rangeshown in FIG. 9, the operation control section 430 shifts to such astate for selecting a link as shown in FIG. 10. When the number “0” ofthe numeric keypad 342 of the video telephone 32 is depressed again inthe state shown in FIG. 10, the operation control section 430 shifts tothe state shown in FIG. 9. In other words, the user of the videotelephone 32 can alternately select the state shown in FIG. 9 and thestate shown in FIG. 10 by depressing the number “0”.

In the state shown in FIG. 10, the content processing section 460divides links into groups each of which is composed of, for example, 1to 9 links, and creates a link image that indicates a link area in whichan image indicating the links gathered into each group is associatedwith a number for selecting the links. The content processing section460 distributes the dynamic image data containing the link image withinthe display range to the video telephone 32 via the dynamic imagedistribution section 424. When the user depresses, for example, thesymbol “*” of the numeric keypad 342 of the video telephone 32 in thestate shown in FIG. 10, the operation control section 430 selects linkareas one by one as indicated in FIG. 10 by the dotted lines, andhighlights the selected link area.

Further, when the user depresses, for example, any one of the numbers ofthe numeric keypad 342 of the video telephone 32 to select any one ofthe links contained in the selected link area, the operation controlsection 430 controls the rendering processing section 48 to obtain theWEB data from the WEB server 26 by use of the URL indicated by theselected link. According to this control, the rendering processingsection 48 obtains the WEB data desired by the user from the WEB server26. The content processing section 460 creates a content from the WEBdata obtained by the rendering processing section 48, and distributesthe content as dynamic image data to the video telephone 32 via thedynamic image distribution section 424.

Overall Operation of the Network System 1

Hereinafter, description will be made of an overall operation of thenetwork system 1.

FIG. 11 is a communication sequence diagram showing an overall operation(S10) of the network system 1 shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 11, inStep 100 (S100), the user operates the video telephone 32 to perform acall issuance to the WEB browse server 4 (WEB browse program 40; FIG.6). In response to the call issuance, the mobile telephone network 30connects the video telephone 32 with the WEB browse server 4 (WEB browseprogram 40) by a line.

In Step 102 (S102), the mobile telephone IF 400 of the WEB browseprogram 40 notifies the media processing section 42 of the connectionfrom the video telephone 32, and a call state is established between thevideo telephone 32 and the media processing section 42, which makes itready to transmit dynamic image data and audio data between the videotelephone 32 and the media processing section 42.

In Step 104 (S104), the media processing section 42 transmits, forexample, the dynamic image data of a menu image as an initial image tothe video telephone 32. The video telephone 32 displays the menu imagetransmitted from the media processing section 42 on the display device332 (FIG. 3).

In Step 106 (S106), when the user depresses, for example, the button ofthe numeric keypad 342 corresponding to the number indicating any one ofthe choices within the menu image displayed on the display device 332,the video telephone 32 transmits the audio data of the DTMF signalindicating the depressed button to the media processing section 42.

In Step 108 (S108), the media processing section 42 identifies the audiodata of the DTMF signal, and based on the identification result,controls the rendering processing section 48 to obtain the WEB data fromthe WEB server 26 by use of the URL corresponding to the depressednumber.

In Step 110 (S110), the rendering processing section 48 requests the WEBdata desired by the user from the WEB server 26.

In Step 112 (S112), the rendering processing section 48 obtains the WEBdata from the WEB server 26. Note that if the URL corresponding to thenumber depressed in the processing of Step S108 is a link to the dynamicimage data in the MPEG format, the rendering processing section 48obtains this dynamic image data.

In Step 114 (S114), the rendering processing section 48 creates a staticimage of the WEB page and information on its link, and outputs thestatic image and the information indicating the link to the mediaprocessing section 42. However, when the rendering processing section 48obtains a dynamic image in the processing of Step S112, the renderingprocessing section 48 outputs this dynamic image data, withoutprocessing, to the media processing section. Note that the processingfor moving/magnifying/reducing the display range and displaying the linkarea is performed at this stage.

In Step 116 (S116), in response to the user's operation, the mediaprocessing section 42 performs the state transition as shown in FIGS. 9and 10, and performs the distribution to the video telephone 32. Afterthat, the processes of Steps S100 to S116 are repeated, and the WEBbrowse server 4 provides the user of the video telephone 32 a functionto browse a WEB page.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention can be used for distribution of dynamic imagedata.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   -   1 . . . network system    -   2 . . . IP communication system    -   20 . . . IP network    -   22 . . . PDA device    -   120 . . . main body    -   122 . . . CPU    -   124 . . . memory    -   126 . . . input/output device    -   128 . . . network interface (IF)    -   130 . . . recording device    -   132 . . . recording medium    -   220 . . . client program    -   222 . . . operating system (OS)    -   224 . . . user interface (UI) section    -   226 . . . dynamic image processing section    -   228 . . . operation signal creation section    -   230 . . . application section    -   24 . . . PC    -   26 . . . WEB server    -   3 . . . video telephone system    -   30 . . . mobile telephone network    -   32 . . . video telephone    -   320 . . . antenna    -   322 . . . radio IF    -   330 . . . audio/video CODEC    -   332 . . . display device    -   334 . . . camera    -   336 . . . microphone    -   338 . . . speaker    -   340 . . . control section    -   342 . . . numeric keypad    -   344 . . . DTMF generation section    -   4 . . . WEB browse server    -   40 . . . WEB browse program    -   400 . . . mobile telephone IF    -   42 . . . media processing section    -   420 . . . audio recognition section    -   422 . . . response control section    -   424 . . . dynamic image distribution section    -   430 . . . operation control section    -   432 . . . voice extensible markup language (VXML) control        section    -   434 . . . menu display section    -   436 . . . image call section    -   438 . . . image database (DB)    -   460 . . . content processing section    -   462 . . . content creation section    -   464 . . . image displacement section    -   466 . . . link display section    -   468 . . . media conversion section    -   48 . . . rendering processing section    -   480 . . . WEB access section    -   482 . . . image creation section    -   484 . . . link processing section    -   486 . . . session processing section

1. A dynamic image distribution device for distributing a dynamic imageto an image display device for receiving the dynamic image distributedvia a transmission path and displaying the dynamic image on a screenhaving a predetermined size, comprising: dynamic image generation meansfor generating a dynamic image, which represents an image having a sizecorresponding to the screen of the image display device, in a formatthat can be displayed by the image display device from image datarepresenting an image that contains a static image and a dynamic imageor either one of those and is larger than the screen of the imagedisplay device; and dynamic image distribution means for distributingthe generated dynamic image to the image display device via thetransmission path.
 2. A dynamic image distribution device according toclaim 1, wherein: the image display device transmits a plurality ofselectable audios each representing information via the transmissionpath; the dynamic image distribution device further comprises: audioidentification means for identifying the transmitted audios, andcreating identification data that indicates the information representedby a selected audio; and image supplying means for supplying the imagedata representing the image larger than the screen of the image displaydevice based on the created identification data; and the dynamic imagegeneration means converts the supplied image data into a dynamic image,which represents a range to be displayed on the screen of the imagedisplay device within an image having a size larger than the screen ofthe image display device, in the format that can be displayed by theimage display device based on the created identification data.
 3. Adynamic image distribution device according to claim 2, wherein: theimage display device transmits a dial tone multi frequency (DTMF) signalas the selectable audio via the transmission path; and the audioidentification means identifies the transmitted DTMF signal, and createsidentification data that indicates the information represented by theDTMF signal.
 4. A dynamic image distribution device according to claim2, wherein: the image is associated with one or more reference imagedata items each representing a reference image, and each of thereference image data items is associated with the informationrepresented by any one of the plurality of audios; the image supplyingmeans supplies the image data representing the image containing thereference image indicating the information associated with the one ormore reference image data items; the audio identification meansidentifies the audio transmitted based on a selection from the referenceimage contained in the image displayed on the image display device, andcreates the identification data; the dynamic image distribution devicefurther comprises reference image supplying means for supplying thereference image data based on the created identification data; and thedynamic image generation means converts the supplied reference imagedata into the dynamic image in the format that can be displayed by theimage display device as the image data.
 5. A dynamic image distributiondevice according to claim 4, wherein: the reference image data issupplied from a predetermined supply source; and the reference imagesupplying means obtains the reference image data from the supply sourcebased on the created identification data.
 6. A dynamic imagedistribution device according to claim 5, wherein: the reference imagedata comprises WEB data; and the predetermined supply source comprises auniform resource locator (URL) given to a WEB server that supplies theWEB data.
 7. A dynamic image distribution device according to claim 1,wherein: the image supplying means supplies the image data representinga static image as the image that contains only a static image largerthan the screen of the image display device as the image; and thedynamic image generation means generates a dynamic image, whichrepresents a static image having a size corresponding to the screen ofthe image display device, in the format that can be displayed by theimage display device from the image data representing the image thatcontains only the static image larger than the screen of the imagedisplay device.
 8. A dynamic image distribution device according toclaim 4, wherein: the reference image supplying means supplies thereference image data described in hypertext markup language (HTML); andthe image supplying means creates the image data from the referenceimage data described in the HTML.
 9. A dynamic image distribution deviceaccording to claim 8, wherein: the image display device receives adistributed dynamic image in a moving picture experts group (MPEG)format, and displays the dynamic image; and the dynamic image generationmeans converts the image data created from the reference image datadescribed in the HTML into the dynamic image data in the MPEG format.10. A dynamic image distribution system, comprising a dynamic imagedistribution device for distributing a dynamic image to an image displaydevice for receiving the dynamic image distributed via a transmissionpath and displaying the dynamic image on a screen having a predeterminedsize, the dynamic image distribution device including: dynamic imagegeneration means for generating a dynamic image, which represents animage having a size corresponding to the screen of the image displaydevice, in a format that can be displayed by the image display devicefrom image data representing an image that is larger than the screen ofthe image display device and contains a static image and a dynamic imageor either one of the static image and the dynamic image; and dynamicimage distribution means for distributing the generated dynamic image tothe image display device via the transmission path.
 11. A dynamic imagedistribution system according to claim 10, wherein the image displaydevice and the dynamic image display device are connected to each otherthrough the transmission path set by line switching.
 12. A dynamic imagedistribution system according to claim 10, wherein the image displaydevice and the dynamic image display device are connected to each otherthrough the transmission path set by store-and-forward switching.
 13. Adynamic image distribution method of distributing a dynamic image to animage display device for receiving the dynamic image distributed via atransmission path and displaying the dynamic image on a screen having apredetermined size, comprising: a dynamic image generation step ofgenerating a dynamic image, which represents an image having a sizecorresponding to the screen of the image display device, in a formatthat can be displayed by the image display device from image datarepresenting an image larger than the screen of the image display deviceand contains a static image and a dynamic image or either one of thestatic image and the dynamic image; and a dynamic image distributionstep of distributing the generated dynamic image to the image displaydevice via the transmission path.
 14. A dynamic image distributionprogram for distributing a dynamic image to an image display device forreceiving the dynamic image distributed via a transmission path anddisplaying the dynamic image on a screen having a predetermined size,the dynamic image distribution program causing a computer to execute: adynamic image generation step of generating a dynamic image, whichrepresents an image having a size corresponding to the screen of theimage display device, in a format that can be displayed by the imagedisplay device from image data representing an image that is larger thanthe screen of the image display device and contains a static image and adynamic image or either one of the static image and the dynamic image;and a dynamic image distribution step of distributing the generateddynamic image to the image display device via the transmission path. 15.(canceled)
 16. (canceled)
 17. (canceled)
 18. A dynamic imagedistribution device for distributing a dynamic image to an image displaydevice for receiving the dynamic image distributed via a transmissionpath and displaying the dynamic image on a screen having a predeterminedsize, comprising: dynamic image generation means for generating adynamic image, which represents an image having a size corresponding tothe screen of the image display device, in a format that can bedisplayed by the image display device from document data displayed on ascreen larger than the screen of the image display device; and dynamicimage distribution means for distributing the generated dynamic image tothe image display device via the transmission path.
 19. A dynamic imagedistribution device according to claim 18, wherein the document datacomprises WEB data.
 20. A dynamic image distribution device fordistributing a dynamic image to an image display device for:transmitting a plurality of selectable audios each representinginformation via a transmission path; receiving the dynamic imagedistributed via the transmission path; and displaying the dynamic imageon a screen having a predetermined size, the dynamic image distributiondevice comprising: audio identification means for identifying thetransmitted audios, and creating identification data that indicates theinformation represented by a selected audio; image supplying means forsupplying image data representing an image that contains a static imageand a dynamic image or either one of those and is larger than the screenof the image display device based on the created identification data;dynamic image generation means for generating a dynamic image, whichrepresents an image having a size larger than the screen of the imagedisplay device, in a format that can be displayed by the image displaydevice from the supplied image data representing the image larger thanthe screen of the image display device; and dynamic image distributionmeans for distributing the generated dynamic image to the image displaydevice via the transmission path, wherein: the image supplying meanssupplies the dynamic image generation device with the image data of aportion outside the range of the image supplied to the dynamic imagegeneration device only when the dynamic image to be displayed on theimage display device becomes larger than the image supplied to thedynamic image generation device; and the dynamic image generation meansconverts the supplied image data into a dynamic image, which representsa range to be displayed on the screen of the image display device withinan image having a size larger than the screen of the image displaydevice, in the format that can be displayed by the image display devicebased on the created identification data.